Mess = chaos in my mind. But since I have become a mom of two active boys, I have pretty much accepted the fact that my house is messy and chaotic. As we continue our quest for wellness, we had the privilege of speaking with Jane Stoller, author of Organizing for your lifestyle. Jane provides us with some great tips for getting your closets organized to achieve your dreams of a Carrie closet. You may even be inspired to tackle your little ones closets too!
1.What are the most important things to put into practice while trying to get one’s household organized?
A constant theme I reiterate in my book is that organizing is a lifestyle, but it isn’t one-size-fits-all. Incorporating organizing into your life shouldn’t, ultimately, involve changing who you are, but rather maximizing it. Knowing where your favorite socks are, and having them stored correctly, means you’ll be able to wear your favorite socks more often, and look better doing it. Similarly, packing properly for a once-in-a-lifetime trip means you’ll be able to enjoy that trip even more. Remember: being organized doesn’t mean thinking about organizing all the time. Ideally, being organized means that you don’t have to think about organizing all the time—because you do it automatically, as an organic part of your everyday routine. And you can only reach this level of organizing bliss by making sure your organizing systems and routines are perfectly adapted to your goals, personality, and needs.
Again: organizing is a lifestyle, but it needs to be your lifestyle.
2. What items are essential for closet organization?
The most important element I address is space. Analyzing the current space you HAVE and then adding/adapting the space you NEED.
Hangers are essential. There are many different types and hangers have specific uses. Felt wire hangers are great to save space and are ideal for small closet spaces for example.
If you want to save on space use hangers made of felt wires which are thin and great for small closet spaces. In my book, I go deeper into what to hang vs fold, as often we are hanging items that should be folded and vice versa such as knitwear. After an extensive list on clothing I also mention everything else that we need to store including, Lingerie, Jewelry, Activewear, socks etc.
3. What organizational items are worth spending money on?
I would stress that this depends on your lifestyle. If you move allot or are committed to a dwelling for a longer period of time this will likely change the amount you will spend on organizing solutions. Specifically, for the closet I would spend money on hangers and specific organizing solutions that suit the most amount of clothing you have. If you have a lot of activewear opposed to business clothes you might need to invest in several drawers over hanging space.
4. What are some key tips to organize your closets?
De- Clutter – I focus allot on de-cluttering and for many women this is very important for the closest.
Evaluate – Ensure you know what types of clothing you have before you buy new organizing systems, know what specifics you need (hanging space, drawers, shelves).
Sustainability – It is sometimes necessary to choose the practical solution over the prettiest one; otherwise, you might be inclined to create an even larger disorganized mess. For example: if you love the look of having your shirts colour-coordinated, but then always find yourself searching for different types of shirts or sleeve lengths, why not organize for type or sleeve length, rather than by colour? Organizing shirts by sleeve length may not be as aesthetically pleasing, but it will support your organizing goals, and will likely save time.
5. How do you keep other members in your family on track once you have reorganized your closets in your home?
I recommend to tell everyone about your organizing goals so that you can garner encouragement from friends and family. Similar to when you want to reach a health or fitness goal, telling people about your organizing goals will help motivate you; once people are watching, you won’t want to fail! Tell your friends you’re on a track to get more organized, and even ask them over to help de-clutter. If you’re married or live with someone, let them know about your organizing goals, and try to involve them in the process. You might even want to reach out to a mentor or enlist a mentor to help. One of my organizing mentors is Martha Stewart, and although I cannot personally reach out to her, I can follow her on Instagram and incorporate her organizing tips and ideas into my life.
Organizing for Your Lifestyle is a fun, inspiring guide to organizing all aspects of your life, from socks to suitcases. This book is written in such a way that any reader can benefit from. Whether you are single or part of a large family, live in an apartment or a mansion, incorporating organization into your life can help maximize your potential to accomplish more on a daily basis.
About Jane Stoller
Jane Stoller was born and raised in a small town in Ontario, Canada. Her parents immigrated to Switzerland in order to follow their dream of owning a dairy farm.
Jane’s love for organizing began as a child as she was often found happily lining up her pet cats, stuffed animals and books. Growing up, her passion for organizing shifted to all types of storage space with a special desire for revolutionizing closets! Coupled with her entrepreneurial spirit, Jane has shared her organizing skills with countless friends and colleagues.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science and a Master’s in Business Administration from Canada’s top universities. Jane currently lives in Zurich, Switzerland and works in the construction industry.
To learn more, go to OrganizingForYourLifestyle.com or connect with Jane on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.